NBA Trade Rumors: Pau Gasol For Emeka Okafor Almost Done; Phoenix Suns All In For Playoffs! Lakers Load The Tank!
The worst kept secret in the NBA is that the Lakers are tanking. The final straw would be trading Pau Gasol for salary cap relief. They tried and failed with Andrew Bynum, not they have another-and perhaps the last chance to make a deal.
The initial reports came from Marc Stein of ESPN:
"Sources told ESPN.com that the Suns, among the options being weighed as part of their well-chronicled desire to acquire an established player as they make an unexpected playoff push this season, have been exploring the feasibility of trading for the Lakers' four-time All-Star."
The benefits for the Lakers would be strictly monetary. Stein elaborates: "The $4.8 million difference between Gasol's cap number and Okafor's would immediately drop the Lakers less than $3 million away from the league's luxury-tax threshold, meaning one more smaller deal before the Feb. 20 trade deadline could conceivably be enough to take them out of tax territory completely."
However, they can still play hardball and ask for some value in return. Most probable demand would be a first round draft pick, and the Suns would oblige. According to Pro Sports Transactions, the Suns could have as many as four depending on the corresponding protections. The question now is which draft picks they are willing to give. The Pacers' pick is a no-brainer as it would probably be 27-30, but the Lakers may want the Timberwolves pick, which is Top 13 protected. If the T-wolves make the playoffs, the pick would fall at 15-17 and transfer to the Suns.
From the Suns' standpoint, acquiring Pau Gasol would help their frontline, which is one of the youngest in the league. Stein notes:
"The appeal of a Gasol trade is that the Suns would be adding a front-line big man for the rest of the season without impacting their future flexibility to pursue younger stars via free agency or trade. It also gives Phoenix a chance to evaluate Gasol -- as well as acquire his Larry Bird rights -- before he becomes a free agent in July to assess whether he's a long-term fit."